FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT IRSC
24
CENTER’S GUIDANCE DESIGNS CONTRACT STRATEGY
FOR GRAPHICS COMPANY IN STUART
TCBusiness.com
What began as a simple inquiry regarding
attracting and acquiring government contracts
has quickly grown into a high-value
business model for Kimberly Amsalem and
her company, Graphic Designs International.
Founded in 1994, Amsalem acquired
the Stuart-based company in 2019. It
specializes in creating and installing highprofile
and dynamic fleet graphics for first
responder vehicles, including police and
sheriff, ambulances, aviation units, fire
trucks and private security. Amsalem has
since expanded the business nationally and
become certified as a Women Owned Business
and Women in Business Enterprise.
Under Amsalem’s leadership, GDI has
become the premier emergency responder
vehicle graphics company in the
United States, dedicated to assisting police
departments and local municipalities in
creating effective, budget-friendly graphics
for their fleets.
Originally seeking to expand the organization’s
sales and national presence, Amsalem
contacted the Florida SBDC at Indian
River State College, specifically the center’s
Procurement and Technical Assistance
Center PTAC government contracting
specialist, Scotty Wilson.
With assistance and guidance from
Wilson, GDI has developed a national business
strategy that includes the creation of
a Bid Match account and profile. Bid Match
is a high-value government contracting
tool provided by America’s PTAC and the
Florida SBDC at IRSC that pulls local, state
and federal contracts together for client
review and potential response.
Since creating its profile, GDI has been
awarded numerous contracts from first
responder organizations from across the
country resulting in business and revenue
expansion.
Beyond winning bids, Wilson and
Amsalem are working to acquire a second
Women Owned Small Business Certification
from the State of New York. Amsalem
also is planning to hire a few more
employees to enhance productivity and
delivery times.
“I don’t know where I would be without
Scotty; he has been my advocate. I feel like
I have an assistant,” Amsalem said. “He is
helping me to get in several different states
and get on their approved vendor list.”
You can learn more about Graphic
Designs International by visiting www.
gdigraphics.com or calling 800.344.6853.
Ready to grow your business? Contact
your local center at fsbdc@irsc.edu or call
336.6285.
About the FSBDC at IRSC
The Florida Small Business Development
Center at Indian River State College is a part
of the Florida SBDC Network, which provides
tools, training and resources to help
small businesses grow and succeed. Designated
as the provider of small business
assistance, the network has more than
40 offices from Pensacola to Key West. Since
1976, its partners have helped construct
a statewide ecosystem to foster the spirit,
support and success of thousands of entrepreneurs
and innovators. It is funded in part
by the Small Business Administration, the
Defense Logistics Agency, the State of Florida
and other private and public partners
with the University of West Florida serving
as its designated lead host institution. It
is nationally accredited by the Association
of SBDCs.
BY KATIE MULDOON
Katie Muldoon serves the community and
Indian River State College as the Administrative
& Outreach Specialist for the Florida
SBDC at IRSC.
LINDA GONZALEZ
GDI President Kimberly Amsalem, left, talks new bids with PTAC Specialist Scotty Wilson.
/TCBusiness.com
/gdigraphics.com
link